Friday, July 29, 2011

Its been 10 years since I last set foot in Palawan for a 1-week training project with our El Nido Field Office. I thought that was it so I made sure I left my imprints in the limestone cliffs that made us gape and that trek to the Bulalakaw Falls which tore-off my ethnic pants and the traces of early civilization at the Ille Cave and the boat tours around Bacuit Bay and to the Snake Island, Cadlao, Miniloc, and Matinloc.

Its been 10 yeas but the slimy texture of tamilok is still fresh in my mouth while the welcome sight and aroma of huge steamed tahong, grilled baracuda, adobong pusit, and lechon freshly roasted and stuffed with tamarind leaves at the buffet table of the Elm Street Restaurant still cling to my skin.

It's been 10 years. Then I was back. Courtesy of a reference from Oxfam-GB. To the Philippine Board Members League of the Philippines.

Never mind that I was billeted in a hotel so controversial that Mayor Edward Hagedorn won't set foot in it. Never mind the rain that wanted to spoil my fun.

And so I went UG. It cost me P1,500.00 and almost 4 hours of travel to and from Sabang plus another couple of hours to get to a boat and 2 more to get our group number called so we can actually go UG. I have to miss my lunch. But I did smell the bat shit, saw Sharon Stone's ass, and had a 45-minute laugh at the ridiculously funny tales of our boatman guide.

A 4 pm lunch afterwards have never been so good as roasted tuna and pork, native chicken and kangkong adobo, and binakol never got the chance to be served at the table...

FOOTNOTE: The Puerto Prinsesa Subterranean River National Park is said to be the second longest underground river in the world and is considered as one of Asia's most important forest site with its full mountain-to-the-sea ecosystem. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is currently a finalist to be one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. There are 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Philippines: the colonial city of Vigan, the rice terraces of Ifugao (i.e. Nagacadan, Huangduan, Batad, Mayoyao), 4 baroque churches (i.e. San Agustin, Paoay, Sta. Maria, Miag-ao), and the Tubbataha Reef. I've been to all except the last.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Our acquaintance with Harry Potter started in 2001 after watching him battle with Lord Voldemort through Professor Quirrell for the possession of the Sorcerer's Stone. I bought a copy of the book afterwards and then every book for every sequel which Bulan later sequestered and which he is still enjoy reading several times over. And I have to endure watching Harry Potter after Harry Potter as Balong proclaimed there will be no other movie in the house than that.

I never knew how much Harry Potter came into our lives until the day Balong picked up a stick and attempted to make a rock fly with a gentle pat and prodding of "Wingardium Leviosa". Then Harry Potter learned he can speak Parseltounge, discovered the Chamber of Secrets, and killed the basilisk. The next day, Bulan and Balong invented a funny language and started talking to our dogs.

I am the Prisoner of Azkhaban, or so I thought, and CLSU my Hogwarts. There in that magical happy place where I grew my wings, I learned to dance with the wizards and use my wand. I dared duel with the Goblets of Fire where I won some and lost more. There were great and not-so-great friends and with whom formed our Order of Phoenix who engaged in juvenile jousts with the Triskelion Knights.

But as the plot thickens, I realized that I was really not Sirius Black or Harry Potter or Albus Dumbledore. Or even Hagrid and Draco Malfoy. I am in fact the Half-Blood Prince who brew potions and bear the emotional tortures of the many secrets he kept to himself.

Yesterday in one of NE Pacific's cinema, the era of Harry Potter seems to have ended. But not ours as magic still weaves in our Burrow where I live with my Ginny Weasley (although I would have preferred Hermione Granger or Cho Chang or even the eccentric Luna Lovegood).

Good bye Harry. We will think of you as we battle our Lord Valdemorts and try to have more Ronald Weasley's and Neville Longbottoms in our world...